


Neutral

by dance4thedead



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Bucky Barnes's Trigger Words, Dialogue-Only, Gen, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Wordcount: 100-500
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-14
Updated: 2018-04-14
Packaged: 2019-04-22 19:10:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14315268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dance4thedead/pseuds/dance4thedead
Summary: Someone leaves a burner phone and the number of an unexpected ally for Bucky. The ensuing conversation probably wasn't their intention...





	Neutral

_The sound of a dial tone._

_Ring. Ring._

_Click._

Quickened breaths.

"Don't ask me to fight again. Please, just… just let me say this before you say anything, okay? Okay? Don't ask me to do that and be 'him' and cause more pain and damage because of course I'd say 'yes' because it's you. And you're you. And you know I hate me enough to want to not hate you too."

_A sigh, like air punched out from a bag._

_"I'm not her. Sorry to disappoint."_

Air, sucked over teeth. "She's all right, right?"

_"No clue. Haven't seen her since…"_

"All the blood and fireworks. Fantastic."

_"Don't hang up. Please."_

"I'm retired."

_"Hear me out."_

"Whatever you're dealing with, I'm not the answer. You don't bring a--"

_"She left me this phone--"_

"…grenade to a knife-fight--"

_"…probably because she thought--"_

"…without expecting it to blow up in your face."

_"…you'd have a little more FUCKING empathy for the shit I'm dealing with."_

A pause.

"Oh. You're--"

_"Yeah. I'm me. So I've got some faith that you're gonna respect this next bit."_

"I don't even know you like that."

_"Doesn't matter to me. Just that you understand how it feels to lose control to another part of you."_

"But--"

_"Shut up. It has to be you."_

"I can't help you control yourself."

_"You can. You know what it's like--"_

"Our monsters are different… mine was made from me. You were forced to become yours, from what I've heard."

_"But you know what it's like--"_

"And I can't even cure myself, so it's a dead issue."

_"What it's like to need to put yourself down, for the greater good."_

Another long sigh.

_"I'm going back on ice."_

"Are you trying to get me to talk you out of it?"

_"No." Hesitant. "No." Resolute._

"Why call then?"

_"They won't keep me under long enough. I know it. I wake up and go off the reservation… there's something you gotta tell me. Just a couple words, easy enough to remember."_

"If I'm following you correctly, can't help you like that."

_"Bruce--"_

"I said 'no', okay? I'm not controlling your mind."

_"If nothing stops me, I will kill. Again. And again. Until everyone we've fought for and alongside is bleeding into the ground. "_

"Is what the trigger does reversible?"

_"Somewhat."_

"The hell that supposed to mean?"

_"Phil came back."_

Silence.

_"Sam spoiled a book for me the other day. Old Yeller. Hadn't the time to get to know it myself while topside, because… well you know." Sad laughter. "But that old dog knew it was cherished."_

"Will it hurt?"

_"I don't know. It doesn't matter."_

"Right, you're desensitized."

_"Familiar, not desensitized. Other things just matter more."_

Contemplating, then, "you're a good man, Barnes."

_"Grab a pen. I'm gonna rattle this thing off phonetically so you don't fuck it up."_

"All right. I'm ready for it."


End file.
